- On the road again: After Saturday's home game against Fort Wayne, the BayHawks won't play at Erie Insurance Arena again until Jan. 12 when they play the Mad Ants again. The BayHawks have four game on the road in between.

-- Duane Rankin

D-League standings, schedule, 5C

Erie BayHawks Henry Sims, left, Tirrell Baines, far right, Canton Charge's Kevin Anderson, second from left, and Kevin Jones, second from right, attempt to rebound the ball during the first half of the game at Erie Insurance Arena on Dec. 1. JANET B. KUMMERER/ERIE TIMES-NEWS

D.J. Kennedy wasn't worried.

Not the least bit.

When the Erie BayHawks were in the muck of a three-game losing skid, their leading scorer, rebounder and assist man figured they'd turn things around.

"It's still early," Kennedy said Dec. 13. "There's no pressure. (It's) six games in. We're still getting familiar with each other. We just have to practice, get good chemistry and we'll be good."

It turns out Kennedy was right.

The BayHawks (6-4) have won four straight and are beaming with confidence heading into tonight's home game at 7 p.m. against defending D-League champion Austin.

"We've got a lot of talent on this team," said Kennedy, who is averaging 19.5 points, 8.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists a game. "We've just been playing together the last four games. (We've) been playing well. Got good chemistry."

The Toros (7-5) eliminated the BayHawks in the first round of last year's D-League playoffs en route to winning the championship. Although the rosters and coaches have changed for both teams, the BayHawks are motivated to pay back Austin. This is Erie's only game against the Toros this season.

"I know they have a lot of different guys, but you'd still love to beat the team that sent you home packing last year," said power forward Kyle Goldcamp, one of three BayHawks who played against the Toros in last year's playoffs. Mychel Thompson and Kennedy were the other two.

Tirrell Baines had a season-ending hand injury before the 2012 playoffs, but is feeding off his teammates who were part of that series loss to Austin.

Erie won Game 1 at home, but lost Games 2 and 3 at Austin.

"I'm with them," said Baines, who averaged 20.5 points and 6.5 rebounds in Erie's past two games. "Whatever they want, I'm with it."

The BayHawks are coming off a two-game road trip in which they beat Springfield in a scoring fest, 127-119, and upended Maine in an defensive grinder, 85-78.

Erie established a season high for points scored at Springfield and a season low for points allowed at Maine.

"It's been more about our defense," Baines said. "Talking. Being together as one. Listening to details and following the scouting report, too. That's been a big thing, too."

The BayHawks were able to win despite allowing a player to post a triple-double against them in each of the two games.

Shengelia and Melo put up major numbers on Erie, but the BayHawks won the games.

"That was pretty unique to give up back-to-back triple-doubles," Erie coach Gene Cross said. "I'm not necessarily proud of that. They're pretty good players. ... They played pretty well, but to our guys' credit, we found a way to win."

Before playing at Springfield, the BayHawks practiced three days in suburban New York at the practice facility of their NBA hybrid affiliate -- the Knicks.

Cross was hoping the BayHawks would benefit beyond practicing against Amar'e Stoudemire, who worked out with the BayHawks as part of rehabbing his injured knee.

"It's a way for our guys to bond a little bit more and build camaraderie, togetherness and grow as a group," Cross said last week in a phone interview.

It turns out he was right, too.

During Thursday's practice, the BayHawks were laughing it up and joking with each other.

"It was a pretty good experience for our guys," Cross said.

Winning four in a row helps keep the mood festive as well.

"We've been finding ways to win throughout the last four games and I applaud them for that," Cross said.

DUANE RANKIN can be reached at 878-2210 or by e-mail. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/DuaneRankin.

FOUR IN A ROW

The Erie BayHawks enter tonight's game against defending D-League champion Austin at Erie Insurance Arena on a four-game winning streak. Here are the results of those victories:

- On the road again: After Saturday's home game against Fort Wayne, the BayHawks won't play at Erie Insurance Arena again until Jan. 12 when they play the Mad Ants again. The BayHawks have four game on the road in between.